Chris James, a news producer, attempted to lift the five foot snake with his paddle but he could not lift the dead animal out of the canal. He then dragged the snake across the water before placing it beside the canal.

A spokeswoman for RSPCA referred the video to an exotic animals expert but was unable to determine what type of snake it is.

The snake was placed alongside the canal (Image: Lee Bradford)

She however suggests the snake is not native to the area, meaning it cannot possibly an adder snake. Lee Bradford, one of the people who discovered the snake, believes it could be a boa constrictor snake.

Nicola White, RSPCA senior scientific officer, was saddened by the video and said: "We may never know how this poor snake ended up in the canal and whether it died before being dumped there, or as a result of being left there, potentially by an owner who no longer wanted their pet.

“The RSPCA has dealt with an increasing number of incidents involving stray, abandoned or neglected pet reptiles in recent years and we find that many end up in our care because people are unaware of how much of a commitment these animals are, or how to care for them properly.

“Reptiles are commonly found for sale in pet shops or online selling sites, however it is sadly often the case that they are handed over to new keepers with very little or no information about how to care for them or the commitment that is involved in keeping them.”